Gerard crane



(No Model.)

G. CRANE.

WASH PAD. A-No. 269.182.;V y Patented Deh. 19, 1882.

UNITED STATES ,PATENT GEEICE.

GERARD CRANE, E NEW YORK, N. Y., AssIeNoR To BRADFORD WILLARD,

OF SAME PLACE.

WASH-PAD.`

SPECIFICATION lforming part` of Letters Patent No. 269,182, dated DecemberlQ', 1882.

`Application inea Maren 11, issn. (No model.)

To all whom fait may concern: v y .Be it known that I, GERARD CRANE, of th city, county, and State` of New York, have invented certain Improvements in the Manufacture of Wash-Pads from Hair, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is based upon the discovery that curled hair,7 so called, when placed `in a mass and subjected to the rubbing action in- Io cident to the use of a wash-pad acquires a certain consistencycombined with the power of absorbing and releasing liquids rwhich render `it a superior substitute for the ordinary eshbrush and ordinary`sponge for the purposes of "f5 the toilet. Y

The invention also comprises a novel method .y of treating the hairin order to increase its efficacy for the purpose indicated.

The drawings represent, in Figures l and 2,

`2o respectively, a transverse sectional `view and aside view of a washing-pad composed of hair and made according to my said invention.

In the practice of myinvention, I take ordi. nary curled hair, so called, and bring the 2 5 same into approximately the shape required for the pad-as, for example, an oblate spheroid of, say, three to four inches in its greatest diameter, or anysize desired. In order to canse this to maintain its shape, I place it within a sack of substantially the form above indicated, and composed of muslin or any other loose or porous fabric, and preferably with an opening in one side, this covering being represented at B in the drawings, while thehair 3 5 itself is shown at A, the opening aforesaid .being indicated at a. `As thus provided, the device Amay be used in the same' manner as an ordinary sponge or iesh-brush for toilet purposes, and for a short time will'require that `4o the back or covering B `be retained in order that the mass of hair may not lose its shape. `After a short use, however, with water, soap, or any usual detergenuthe hair mass works together by the adhesionof its lbers to an i M cxtentsufcient-to insure the retention of its general form throughoutall its subsequent use, whereupon the covering may be removed. My invention, constructed as aforesaid, provides not only a cheaper, but a more effective 5o device fdr toilet purposes than the ordinary flesh-brush or thecommon sponge. I find,

vide a liquid composed of glycerine, commerof hartshorn, and one ounce of borax.

however, that by subjecting thehair to cer` i `tain preliminary treatment I obtain better rey. oven at a temperature not exceeding, say, 212o Fahrenheit, and which may be as low as800` or 900. The lower the temperature the longer the period required for drying the hair; but 6o thisis a matter of merejudgment, inasmuch as it is only requisite to expel moisture from the hair and bring the same to al dry and crisp condition. When this is accomplished I pro- 6 cial hartshorn, andloorax in the following pro- 5 portions: four quarts of glycerine, onerquart I then take about forty pounds of the dried hair and immerse it in the liquid for a short time-say 7o about three hours-after which the hair is removed, allowed to drain until no more of` the liquid will drainv off, and the hair is then dried by a gentle heat, .and is ready for use, as here` inbefore explained. The hair thus prepared is found to be more pliable and to afford a finer lather when soap is rubbed upon it than is the case with the unprepared hair.

I do not claim` a bosom-pad7 so called, composed of a fabric shell anda filling of hair, 8o and of substantially concavo-convex form. l Neither do I claim a mitten composed of horsehair, formed into heavy cords or threads, and the'n woveuinto shape; but f What I claim as my invention isl. A washing-pad composed of curled hair the fibers of which are matted or intermingled and combined -with an external back or covering having an opening, c, at one side, all subf 'stantially as and for ,the purpose herein `set 9o forth. i v

2. The herein-described method ofpreparing curled hair for use as a washing-pad by first drying the hair and then treating it with acompound of glycerine, commercial ammonia, and borax in about the proportions specified, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

' y GERARD CRANE.

Witnesses: Y ROBERT W. MATTHEWS, THOMAS E. GRossMAN. 

